aGoGo

Hello Everyone,

I have been reading posts in this forum and driving my 85 GS for two month now, however, this is my first post here. I hope everything is well for everyone.

After experienced a shaky engine, simple diagnostics and read many posts I think my baby has blown apex seals. I don't know much about cars but willing to take the first step. I just got quote from Mazda for a remanufactured motor for $1963, and they told me that the rotaries can not be rebuilt easily, is this true? I would like to know what options I have to make the car running again. If there are parts available, where can I find it? how much? If there are special tools needed, what are they? and how to use them? What is my best bet? I saw a disassembled street ported motor on the internet, is this recomanded? what extra steps I need to take to put it together? Any how tos, FAQs on rebuilding and swapping? Your advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in Advance.

With Regards

Xiaonan

cds00bsmg

iTrader: (1)

go to ebay, atkins rotary often sells rebuild kits for the 12a and 13b. they range in price, but are usually no more than 500.00. that is probably your cheapest bet, get the rebuild kit, a new gasket kit, and a CHILTON or HAYNES (recom.) manual from your local Autozone. After that, pull the motor, follow the steps, assemble, and fire it up. It will take time and patience, as far as the tools required, I'm not sure, the manuals should tell you though.

vipernicus42

iTrader: (4)

For a car newb, rebuilding the motor yourself is probably not the way to start learning about your rotary car.

I would recommend looking around your area for a place that specializes in rotaries. The engines aren't hard to rebuild compared to piston engines, actually they're much easier. The problem lies in the fact that not many mechanics *know* how to properly rebuild a rotary, and were never taught how.

If you find a local rotary repair shop, it could probably be done for cheaper than mazda, especially if you pull the motor yourself (another not-so-newb procedure, but one mazda would charge you an arm and a leg for). Chances are if you payed mazda for the rebuilt motor, you'd probably pay like 600$ removal-and-reinstallation.

Do a search on engine rebuilds. You're gonna get pummeled with results, but take your time and try to do some good reading in here about it. You'll find a wealth of information, and a few places in the states that do exceptional jobs at it. Who knows, maybe there's a pro rotary race shop less than a hundred miles from your house and you never knew it!

Good luck. I highly recommend having a rotary shop who ISN'T the mazda dealer do it for you. They're usually more experienced, and alot cheaper. Try to find one close

Jon

GUZZLR

If one or more of your apex seals are gone then your car probably wont be driveable... I blew my motor about 3 months ago and it sucked!
It is now rebuilt and extend ported ; ).
When deciding on your rebuild you should probably decide how much power you are after beforehand, that way you can get it built accordingly.

eg. ported or turbo'd

fatboy7

If it were just a rebuild, for rebuilds sake( or for porting), I'd agree with you. The reason the mazda shop that you went to told you that rotaries are hard to rebuild are:

1) they've never rebuilt one, most dealers will just send your engine back, and stick in a reman crate engine, they rarely crack them open. It's not cost effective to, time wise.
2) Having lost an apex seal, there is a good chance that your rotor housing is chewed up ( ie unusable), and the rotor as well, this adds significantly to the price. Then you have the cost of the possible relapping of the side housings. Expect to pay 1000-1200 if you do it yourself.

All of a sudden the 1500-2500 for a professional rebuild doesn't sound so bad.

aGoGo

Thanks everyone,

I have been busy for the past couple days, however, whenever I have time I did serach for a engine and read a little more articles.

I have been thinking about getting a 1970 Chevelle this week, since I fall in love this car (I did not have an idea about rx7s but I bought one the first time I see one for sale ) I think I am gonna make it alive again.

GUZZLR: I for sure want to make it a bit faster, and would like to know more about my options to make this happen, a lot of infos are scattered everywhere in the forum and it would be great that we can compile a little simple list of options, thanks

cds00bsmg: If I were going with stock engine, I think I will be searching for a running one, I have seen couple on thepartstrader.com, but none with low miles (my car went when it had 110,000), there is also one disassembled new seals rings...mild street port, anyone suggesting this? How hard it could be assembled?

Jon: I agree with you, however more tempted to get my hands greasy and (maybe) learn a lesson the hard way as I once did to my supra. I have been searching for a shop as well, and got some contacts around but nothing conclusive yet, does anyone has any good infos on rotary shops? I am in St Cloud, MN.

fatboy7: Like you said, most of people in town here (St Cloud, MN) don't know ANYTHING about rotaries, it was a funny experience to ask around and observe the response of different people , although from my impression (always) the rotarie makes more sense and are easier to work on. By going with your estimation 1000-1200, what other options I have? I have seen couple 13b and TII motors for sale on the internet, (especially the TII motor $1000, the guy told me I only need a new counter weight and fly wheel for his 1st gen setup)anything I can do with those engine, that by nature a bit more powerful than the 12as?

Thanks again everyone, I hope I can make a plan soon and start working on it, I scheduled with a body shop to have both new rocker (spell?) panels done this week before the motor went, but I guess, my RX7 experience just got more interesting.

Please feel free to let me know what you think, even maybe just ideas about getting rid of the Rx7 and treasuring the 70 Chevelle, I am open for suggestions.

With Regards

Xiaonan

aGoGo

One more comment: money*(80%) + genious*(20%) = x => a powerful car.

The principle of this plan right now is, the less money the better, where as a happy medium sits.

Xiaonan

The_7

you would learn a lot from rebuilding the engine yourself, but just to be safe i would try and learn some more about rotary engines. once you have a pretty good understanding off them, then get a manual and do it. as far as making it faster. if you want to save money, i think the way to go is to keep the 12A, get a streetport, carb upgrade, racing beat exhaust, etc. you can find lots of info on all this if you search - especially porting, there are endless threads about all the different kinds of porting.

vipernicus42

iTrader: (4)

If you have rebuilt an engine or two before, I think you can probably tackle the rotary. Though I have never done one myself, it's the kinda thing I'd love to do with the help/supervision of someone who'se done one before.

Your first time will be a long, drawn out pain in the ***, especially if you don't have anyone local to turn to or call about it. Buying another engine is a great way to add some power to a car, but depending on the condition of your engine, rebuilding is probably cheaper than a TII swap.

For information on putting a TII into your car, read the sticky at the top of the 1st forum page. For info on 13b swap, look it up in search, there's plenty of info. Both can be done. For the most part it's not too hard, just a little more expensive. These swaps are so common now, custom mounts are already sold for 13b-12a swaps, and there's plenty of info

For general info on the engine, start with www.rotaryengineillustrated.com
and looking for rotary at www.howstuffworks.com

For more specific info, the Heynes manual is good. From what I've heard on the forum here, Heynes is better than Chilton (never having seen the Chilton before, I'm partial to Heynes).

If you're rebuilding from yours and want a bit more power, look up info on street porting your motor. Yeah, it'll yield a ton of info, but you can probably find some stuff. I'd suggest a mild street port, combined with either an aftermarket carb or modded nikki (for a mild port a paul yaw nikki is good), and a good exhaust. That will give you a better-than-stock bang, for a (relatively) low buck, and retain good gas milage and drivability. It's what I'm planning for my car.

Either way, have fun!

Jon

300zx

Hello, Rotary engines arent that scarey i dont even got a rx7 and i have takin one apart and put it back together. it was for a school presantation because you would be suprised how many ppl dont even know what a rotary engine is. Alot of ppl that dont know anything about them said to me that cant work and i was like ill show you. If you can read and un-do and do bolts up then you can do anything. Good luck

P.S i am going to look at 84 gsl never since snow. no rust wish me luck

aGoGo

Hello everyone,

My life will start getting busy from now, and I will take my time and make it slow for the rebuild process. The bottom line is...I am not getting rid of the 7, yei~~.

Thanks Jon, I went to those web sites and start to have a better feel about the Rotaries.

300zx: Good luck to your new 7.

I am looking at this on parts trader
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12-A Street ported
I've got a 12-A street ported motor everything is here u just have to assemble it I just dont have the time now to deal with it so im selling it new apex seals,side seals, and rotor bearings, and main bearings around shaft. 300.00 obo
========================================
or
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mazda rx-7 1985 12a motor great shape
car had 93,000 miles and ran good when i pulled the motor.300.00 plus shipping or pick it upcan get pics if needed
========================================
Any comment on this?

Thanks

Xiaonan

MyRxBad

Have you even done a compression test to make sure the apex seal(s) is gone?

Before you start talking re-build, how about talking diagnosis?

aGoGo

MyRxBad: I have checked sparks...and read about all the sympotoms on blown apex. I was driving about 30, then the car started vibrate while lack of power and a bit hard to put in gear, I thought it was my fuel, then I pulled in a gas station filled her up a bit and checked all visible connections...the motor sounded funny too. I drove it back in my garage and she wouldn't idle right, shaking very bad at low RPM, and blue smoke comming out of the exaust. This weekend I am gonna do a simple compression check and possiblly the ATF treatment, although I don't think it will help.

Still, anyone can give me some idea about where to find a motor? and what's your opinion on the above listed two ads? Thanks again.

Xiaonan